This invention relates to pop-up sprinklers and in particular to a housing for protection against intrusion of sand, dirt and debris into pipe threading, into underground pipes to which they connect and onto related sprinkler components when the sprinklers are repaired, replaced, removed for cold-weather-freeze protection or otherwise displaced.
Currently, pop-up sprinklers about 6-to-10 inches long and 11/2-to-21/2 inches in diameter are inserted into holes in ground to where they are pipe-threaded vertically onto underground pipe threads. When the sprinklers are removed for adjustment, repair, replacement or for cold-weather-freeze protection, sand, dirt and debris from sides of the holes and from around the holes falls in onto pipe threading, enters the pipe and often caves into the holes. In addition, some types of soil sticks to the sprinklers and makes their replacement in the holes difficult. Cleaning the holes out and cleaning the sprinklers off to put them back into the holes requires considerable time, effort, frustration and cost. There are no known means for solving this problem with the convenience, efficiency and effectiveness of this invention.
Examples of different but related means are described in the following patent documents. Japanese Patent Publication Number 06277566 A, filed by Chiaki, et al., described a cylindrical housing above the ground to fit over a rotating sprinkler that projected above ground surface. U.S. Pat. No. 5,213,262, issued to Violette, described a sprinkler-head guard with an annulus for containing ballast material around a sprinkler cylinder. U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,307, issued to Kinsey, described a single sleeve housing without length adjustment for covering a pop-up sprinkler head. U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,837, issued to Livneh, taught a water-release valve on a sprinkler head for preventing cold-weather freezing. U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,327, issued to Lawson, et al., taught a protective sleeve that was raised and lowered protectively by raising and lowering of a pop-up sprinkler head. U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,901, issued to Sheets, taught a pop-up sprinkler in a protective housing. U.S. Pat. No. 3,265,310, issued to Cohen, taught a protective cylinder positioned in ground around a sprinkler and having a removable lid.